Evacuation device

Abstract

An evacuation device may include an airflow redirecting baffle. The baffle may separate out liquids that may be entrained or suspended in air being withdrawn from vacuum storage containers in which food items are placed for vacuum preservation. The evacuation device may also include a nozzle that can interface with a valve element on the storage container. The nozzle aligns airflow in a first flow direction initially within the evacuation device. The baffle is positioned in the evacuation device such that, when airflow encounters the baffle, the airflow or a portion thereof is redirected or diverted in a second flow direction. Redirecting airflow from a first flow direction to a second flow direction causes high inertia liquids entrained in the airflow to impinge upon the baffle and thereby separate from the airflow. An absorbent material can be included to absorb and retain the separated fluids.

1 . An evacuation device for evacuating a container, the evacuation device comprising:
 a housing including a nozzle at one end, the nozzle having a rim outlining an inlet opening;   a motor located inside the housing;   an airflow generating unit located inside the housing, the airflow generating unit operatively engaged to the motor and in fluid communication with the nozzle;   a baffle located between the inlet opening and the airflow generating unit, the baffle adapted to divert air flow or a portion thereof from a first air flow direction to a second air flow direction; and   an absorbent material.   
     
     
         2 . The evacuation device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is elongated, the elongated housing generally extending along an axis line. 
     
     
         3 . The evacuation device of  claim 2 , wherein the first flow direction is generally parallel to the axis line. 
     
     
         4 . The evacuation device of  claim 3 , wherein the inlet opening is generally perpendicular to and traversed by the axis line. 
     
     
         5 . The evacuation device of  claim 4 , wherein the first flow direction is generally perpendicular to the inlet opening. 
     
     
         6 . The evacuation device of  claim 5 , wherein the baffle is axially offset and opposed to the inlet opening. 
     
     
         7 . The evacuation device of  claim 6 , wherein the baffle is cap-shaped and opened toward the inlet opening. 
     
     
         8 . The evacuation device of  claim 7 , wherein the absorbent material is retained in the cap-shaped baffle. 
     
     
         9 . The evacuation device of  claim 8 , wherein the cap-shaped baffle includes a protrusion extending toward the inlet opening. 
     
     
         10 . The evacuation device of  claim 2 , wherein the nozzle is angularly offset with respect to the housing and the axis line, the nozzle angularly extending along a second axis line that intersects the first axis line. 
     
     
         11 . The evacuation device of  claim 10 , wherein the baffle is a surface within the evacuation device, the baffle being located generally opposite the inlet opening. 
     
     
         12 . The evacuation device of  claim 10 , wherein the evacuation device includes an elbow portion joining the nozzle to the housing, the first and second axis lines intersecting within the elbow portion. 
     
     
         13 . The evacuation device of  claim 10 , wherein the first flow direction corresponds to the second axis line in the nozzle and the second flow direction corresponds to the first axis line in the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The evacuation device of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow generating unit includes:
 a pinion gear mounted to a rotating shaft of the motor, the shaft extending along the axis line;   a crown gear engaging the pinion gear;   a connecting rod eccentrically linked to the crown gear; and   a pumping unit including a piston reciprocally movable within a chamber, the piston linked to the connecting rod, wherein the pumping unit is in fluid communication with the nozzle.   
     
     
         15 . The evacuation device of  claim 14 , wherein the airflow generating unit further includes an eccentric member, the eccentric member rotatably driven by the crown gear and mounted to the connecting rod. 
     
     
         16 . The evacuation device of  claim 15 , wherein the piston is reciprocally movable along a second axis line, the second axis line being parallel to the housing axis line.